Don't spend your time with other agents as a focus. 

IMO, the best strategy for that type of individual is to purchase residential property in an area they are or can become familiar with; in an area where the neighborhood is “on the rise”, typically where demand exceeds supply and people are spending $$$ on fixing up properties.  

If you spend time learning how to manage well, your income will increase, you'll save time, and you'll maintain your sanity with the courage to expand.

• The “Tour Guide” makes the opposite mistake: they spend all their time pointing out flaws and justifying a low offer.

Quote from @Sofia Komrskova: Don't spend that kind of money on courses.

And how much would you have to spend in order to get market rents?  

THEN, I plan to purchase the second home using a FHA or conventional loan (3%-5% down), for which I will likely pay the monthly cost out-of-pocket, maybe with some rental income support if it is a duplex.My concern is, I do not want to spend my savings or weigh down my debt-to-income ratio so much so that I cannot qualify for and pay the down payment and closing for the lending on the second home.Questions: - With the first home being multi-family, 75% of the rental income (or potential rental income initially) will relatively either maintain or boost my debt-to-income ratio from lenders' perspectives, right? 

You will also quickly learn how to manage properties well instead of spending decades figuring it out like most investors.

I just meant to say that it's our next goal to build that up, having just gone on a spending spree on fixing up both properties in a short period of time.

You can spend as little as $100 to form an LLC, or you could use an attorney and spend $1,000 or more.